Page 60 of A Rising Hope

A few guards snickered near her, earning a hateful glance from Lachlan. Gia smiled at him with the widest, happiest smile, enjoying the flash of displeasure on his sleazy face. Her words were just the kind of reprieve I needed to catch my breath, to settle the rattled feelings within.

“You shall meet the Empress soon enough Lachlan, but I must warn you she has a lot less patience for blabbering men.” I gave him a cold smirk, clasping my hands tight underneath the table, feeling cold sweat drop down my back.

“Well, I cannot wait.” Lachlan tapped the seat, looking bored. “So, just you and me then. Like the good old days.” He returnedto his vicious attempts to frazzle me. His eyes raked over my body and all of a sudden, I felt like I sat there naked.

“Orest is joining us as well,” I retorted. He flashed me a wicked grin.

“Oh yes, of course! How could I forget about the ten-year-old boy who is in love with you? Are you always on babysitting duties?”

The muscle in my jaw twitched, and I reached for the blade on my thigh, but Gia’s hand caught my wrist before I could launch it straight for his throat. She discreetly shook her head. But before I could yank my wrist away and murder him anyway, Orest entered the room.

His mighty presence shifted the air in the room, and a little chill ran down my skin. He stood so tall and so fucking perfect. Orest’s curls were neatly trimmed, a bit longer in the front. He opted for black leathers instead of his armor for this meeting. He so rarely wore black leathers and they suited him extremely well, accompanied by his simple, very lethal sword at his hip.

“Lord Byrningham.” He gave a curt nod to Lachlan, giving him a scrutinizing look. “Commander.” He casually acknowledged me, walking across the room in complete silence. He reached for the chair across from me, taking a seat.

“Orest, long time no see.” Lachlan tilted his head to the side, his greasy, shoulder length hair swayed with the motion. His eyes darted between Orest and me, even as the both of us avoided looking at each other. And he laughed. “You two are a match made in heaven, I swear.” His cackle rumbled through the otherwise silent room. “One has all the fire, but no money or title. Another one is without so much as a drop of flames, but with a title and money.” He shook his head. “Or wait, I forgot. Your daddy disowned you and cut you off, didn’t he? But truly, go ahead, wed. I’ll even send a gift.” Nobody uttered a word as tense silence laid heavy in the room. The muscle at my templetwitched. “Oh, come on, you two are so tense.” He scratched at his overgrown stubble. “You didn’t use to be so tense with me, Zora.” He winked suggestively and I felt nauseous. So fucking sick. I needed to respond, to say something, but my tongue fell laden.

I wished Gideon was here. He would’ve had some smartass reply. Something to dismiss him, to diminish the weight of his despicable comments.

Orest didn’t say a word. Instead, I saw Lachlan’s face change, a primal terror reflected in his features, as if he had just seen a ghost. He went speechless, eyes widened as he looked at Orest.

My eyes darted to Orest, silently yelling at him. To use his powers on Lachlan, to haunt him like that so openly.

This was too risky. He knew that.

If Lachlan were to find out who Orest was. If anyone knew . . .

But while Gideon was silver-tongued, Orest was a masterful blade. One he was crafted to be. He struck without a warning. Without a virtuous speech.

“I believe we have gathered here to discuss the plans for the upcoming battles,” Orest cooly said without so much as a twitch of his eye. His haughty stare was the only indication of the flaming rage inside him.

“Let’s discuss the war, then.” Lachlan cooled from the terror still lingering in the air.

By the timewe had left the town hall, the day had turned into deep night. The plans were made, the stacks of battle strategies buried deep in my mind. My cuticles were still bleeding from picking them for hours. But I’d deal with that later. Right now, I ran after the rapidly departing figure into the night.

“What the fuck were you thinking?!” I yanked on his shoulder, twisting him around to face me. “Putting yourself on the line like that? Lachlan is a dick, we all knew that. But he is a well-trained general, Orest. They are trained to recognize Truth Tellers. He could’ve found out about you!” I yelled in a heated whisper.

“Well, let’s hope that he does.” Orest met my screaming glare before jerking his shoulder away from my reach and marching away from me again.

I followed him, his large strides making me almost run to match his pace.

“What the hell?!” I angrily spat, finally jerking on his arm and bringing him to a halt. “What is your deal?” I snapped at him.

“What is my deal?” His eyes narrowed on me. “What. Is.My. Deal?” he scoffed. “I just spent eight fucking hours in a room with a man who’s thought of all the ways he’s fucking touched you every time he glanced in your direction. I had to sit there and pretend to be discussing war strategies while he sat there reminiscing about the way you moaned his name. Of how he made you feel, in ways I have never been able to.” His heated words anchored deep within me. “I had to sit and play pretend, like I didn’t see his vile lust spilling in your direction. But if that wasn’t torture enough, seeing you explode with dread and fear each time he spoke, each time you had to speak to him, was more than enough.” His nostrils flared; his muscled chest expanded with uneven breaths.

“So, you are fucking jealous of some prick?! I thought you were better than that!” I was glad the darkness was covering the heated words we had exchanged. And yet a part of me no longer knew if it was anger or desire that exploded in me at the way he looked at me.

He leaned closer to me, and my heart froze.

“But I am not. Because Iamjealous. I am so fucking jealous I cannot breathe. I cannot control the rage within me. Every thought, every cell in me, is in agony. And it’s fucking driving me insane, Zora. I’ve lost any sense of reason. Whatever prison I lock myself in is not fucking strong enough to keep the rage I feel away.” His silver eyes met mine, heated, full of fury and wrath mixed with undeniable need.

He yanked my wrist, pulling me flush against his leathers. His grasp tightened on my arm, not letting me go, as he leaned in to whisper into my ear.

“Do you not realize just how much I fucking crave you? To feel your body, to taste you. To listen to your perfect lips moan my name, pleading me for release.” His whisper was sharp, dangerous, and so alluring. “I get fucking drunk from a single glance at you, Zora.” His fingers buried deep in the back of my head, wrapping around my hair, gripping it tighter. “Each thought in my head is preoccupied with you. Each breath is only for your existence. I’d make you addicted to me. You’d beg on your knees for me.” My breath cut halfway, my heart skipped a beat, and my stomach knotted, desire soaking my undergarments at his words. “A word, Zora, a single fucking word is all I need from you to unchain me from the deepest hell and, like a fucking starving dog, I’d come crawling to you on your command.” His lips brushed past my ear, and a raspy moan escaped my lips.

I should say yes.

I never wanted anything more than I wanted him. All of him.

---